1. PROBLEMS OF THE
GERMAN WEIMAR
GOVERNMENT 1919 - 1923
Source:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/his
tory/mwh/germany/weimarproblemsrev1.shtm
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2. • The Weimar Republic faced opposition from the
outset in 1919, after the signing of the Treaty of
Versailles. Economic hardship affected the whole
nation and led to uprisings and assassinations.

3. Key Problems
• The Weimar Republic was created at a time of confusion
and chaos after Germany had lost the First World War.
Many people felt that Germany had received a very harsh
deal in the Treaty of Versailles and they resented the
government for signing it and agreeing to its conditions.
• The Weimar Republic faced violent uprisings from various
groups, not to mention devastating economic problems.
• Germany between 1918 and 1919 was in chaos. People
were starving, the Kaiser had fled and people hated the
government for signing the armistice in November 1918 they called them the November criminals. Bands of
soldiers called Freikorps refused to disband and formed
private armies. It was not a good start for the Republic.

4. There was continuous violence and
unrest:
• In March 1920, there was a
rebellion - the Kapp Putsch that aimed to set up a new
government as the rebels were
angry at them for signing the
Treaty of Versailles.
• Nationalist terror
groups assassinated 356
government politicians.
• Many of the people in Germany
were communists, who wanted
to bring in a Russian-style
communist government. There
were a number of communist
uprisings. For instance, in 1919
the Spartacists rebelled in
Berlin.
The Kapp Putsch March
(1920)

5. The Weimar
government's main
crisis occurred in 1923,
when the Germans
failed to make
a reparations payment
on time, which set off a
train of events that
included:
• a French invasion of the
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Ruhr
a general strike
runaway inflation hyperinflation
a number of communist
rebellions
an attempted Nazi putsch
in Munich

6. Violence in the Weimar Republic
• In Jan 1919, 50,000 Spartacists rebelled in
Berlin, led by the Communists Rosa Luxemburg
and Karl Leibknecht.
• In 1919, communist workers' councils seized
power all over Germany, and a Communist
People's Government took power in Bavaria.
• March 1920, the right-wing nationalist Dr
Wolfgang Kapp took over Berlin. The army
refused to attack him; he was only defeated when
the workers of Berlin went on strike.

7. Violence in the Weimar Republic
• In 1920, after the failure of the Kapp Putsch, a
Communist paramilitary group called the Red
Army rebelled in the Ruhr.
• Nationalist terrorists assassinated 356
government politicians, including Walter
Rathenau, the foreign minister, and Matthias
Erzberger who had been finance minister. The
judges, many of whom preferred the Kaiser's
government, consistently gave these terrorists
light sentences, or let them go free.

8. Revision Tip and Answer Preparation
Revision tip
• Familiarise yourself with the facts by listing all the problems, then
decide whether the problem was political - to do with how the country
was governed, or/and economic - to do with money and work.
• You must revise this in conjunction with the next section on the 1923
crisis.
Answer preparation
• As part of your revision, think about the arguments and facts you
would use to explain:
• What were the main problems faced by the Weimar Republic in the period
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1919-23?
Why the Weimar Republic was in danger of collapse, 1919-23.
How great was the danger of collapse facing the Weimar republic, 1919-23.
Which of the Weimar government's problems were a result of losing the First
World War.
Which of the Weimar government's problems were caused by anger about
theTreaty of Versailles.

9. PROBLEMS OF THE WEIMAR
GOVERNMENT
1919-1923
Check-up Test

10. Problems of the Weimar Government
Check-up Test
1. Which of these statements
was not true of Germany in
January 1919?
• The Kaiser had fled to Holland.
• The government signed the
armistice to end the war.
• People were eating wild berries.
2. Who were the November
Criminals?
• Poor people who were rioting and
looting.
• Government ministers who signed
the armistice.
• The army generals who had taken
Germany into the war and sent so
many young men to their deaths.

11. Problems of the Weimar Government
Check-up Test
3. What was the name of the bands
of soldiers who refused to disband
and formed private right-wing
armies?
• Friekorps
• Freecorps
• Freikorps
4. Who led an uprising against the
government in 1920 as they held
them responsible for signing the
Treaty of Versailles?
• Rosa Luxemburg & Karl Liebknecht
• Matthias Erzberger
• Wolfgang Kapp

12. Problems of the Weimar Government
Check-up Test
5. What name was given to the
communists who rebelled in 1919?
• Spartacists
• Spartans
• Spartacus
6. Which state did communists
take over for a time in 1919?
• Ruhr
• Bavaria
• Munich

13. Problems of the Weimar Government
Check-up Test
7. Why did the Kapp Putsch
succeed at first?
• The army refused to attack him.
• The workers of Berlin went on
strike.
• The politicians stabbed him in the
back.
8. How many government
politicians were assassinated by
right-wing terrorist groups?
• 356
• 365
• 1920

14. Problems of the Weimar Government
Check-up Test
9. Which of these politicians
was not assassinated by right-wing
terrorists?
• Matthias Erzberger
• Walter Rathenau
• Friedrich Ebert
10. Why were right-wing terrorists
able to do so much harm to the
government?
• The Kaiser supported them.
• The judges supported them.
• The army supported them.

15. Problems of the Weimar Government
Check-up Test
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1.
Which of these statements was not true of Germany in January
1919?
The Kaiser had fled to Holland.
The government signed the armistice to end the war.
People were eating wild berries.
2.
Who were the November Criminals?
Poor people who were rioting and looting.
Government ministers who signed the armistice.
The army generals who had taken Germany into the war and sent
so many young men to their deaths.
3.
What was the name of the bands of soldiers who refused to
disband and formed private right-wing armies?
Friekorps
Freecorps
Freikorps
4.
Who led an uprising against the government in 1920 as they held
them responsible for signing the Treaty of Versailles?
Rosa Luxemburg & Karl Liebknecht
Matthias Erzberger
Wolfgang Kapp
5.
What name was given to the communists who rebelled in 1919?
Spartacists
Spartans
Spartacus
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6.
Which state did communists take over for a time in 1919?
Ruhr
Bavaria
Munich
7.
Why did the Kapp Putsch succeed at first?
The army refused to attack him.
The workers of Berlin went on strike.
The politicians stabbed him in the back.
8.
How many government politicians were assassinated by
right-wing terrorist groups?
356
365
1920
9.
Which of these politicians was not assassinated by rightwing terrorists?
Matthias Erzberger
Walter Rathenau
Friedrich Ebert
10.
Why were right-wing terrorists able to do so much harm
to the government?
The Kaiser supported them.
The judges supported them.
The army supported them.